Welly weather

It's 7.45pm and I feel ready to crawl into bed an sleep forever! It's been a kind of full-on couple of days, and of course our niece (1.5) and nephew (nearly 4) have been their usual adorable but exhausting selves since the moment we turned up on their doorstep yesterday. 

I have discovered a newfound skill for drawing ROBOTS. Tonight I drew one that had .. a drinks, veges and sandwiches dispenser and an oven and fridge full of iceblocks attached. It had wheels and, of all things, a graphic equaliser. I decorated it with a loveheart and my nephew said 'That's ok, but I'm not into love. I'm into explosions'. But of course. Boys are scary. The fact that our robot dispensed only healthy food is not accidental. These kids have been exposed to the right sort of food propaganda since the moment of (home)birth and it shows. I am so proud of the little bro' and his lovely better half for having successfully raised kids that don't care about McDonalds and love carrots and raw peppers. Quite an achievement.  

It's so great to hang out with the family and 'the squishies'. I'm also completely excited that it's only a week until my other squishies arrive from Liechtenstein. :D YAYYY. Also, mildly freaked out because there is so very much to organise by then...

Today was all about 'contact course' time at uni, which is where we get to interact with the other students, get face to face time with the tutor and discuss progress on the big project which makes up the assessment for 'Health of Communities'.  I was up early to get in some espresso and an omelette at The Recovery Room in Newtown and The Programmer came with me. He had plans to take some awesome photo's of our capital city - speaking of which, just being in a city that functions was more excitement than either of us could adequately handle - but the weather did not comply. Wellington is notoriously windy and grey, but today it was just grey and rainy.  I think he spent the day shopping and visiting Te Papa - the cultural museum. I was exercising my grey matter and taking food pics with my phone.

Waiting for lunch at the student cafe.

Lunch! A cream cheese and apricot omelette is kind of swanky for university fare, but the price was studenty.

When The Programmer picked me up he was starving from a hard day of leisure and we found a fantastic little French place, staffed by people with seductive accents. The food was to diiiiie for (and go immediately to gastronomic heaven without passing Go).

It's a berry chocolate pastry with a thick layer of chocolate under a thick layer of berries. Oh- my- ecstatically- dancing- tastebuds. I may have to go back there tomorrow. Need to, really. I'm also hoping to meet up with Lucinda from the Run for Christchurch, but I was slack about contacting her before I left, so it depends if she can fit me in at short notice.  

Right now I'm relaxing with a cup of Earl Grey tea, which makes me wonder why I don't drink more of it. Then I'm going to tuck myself in bed with a novel and then drift off until that moment when the door opens and we are affectionately mauled by completely awake children. I wonder how I can recover that ability to wake up feeling like it's the best day ever that I must leap into with complete enthusiasm? Maybe it requires having someone else take care of ones every need? Or maybe just letting go of all worries. I should give it a try.